Bloom Where You're Planted

My mother has a problem with this statement. I can't remember exactly what she said was wrong with it, but something about growing where you're planted, instead of blooming, but I think blooming is much much better. Is it enough to just grow? Why just get a little bigger when you can grow and bloom!!! I think the blooming involves joy and walking in your spiritual gifts and really making the world around you a better place. Just think what would happen if we never walked past something without making a difference, regardless of how small... If we saw a piece of trash and picked it up even if we didn't put it there, or smiled at a crying baby, or told a frustrated young mom, that this too shall pass, or even pray for a situation that needed some covering? All too often I have been extremely guilty of just passing it by and thinking "shame on whoever through that piece of trash there" or "goodness that baby is a brat, can't that mom get it to be a little quieter?" This is our world. We were put here to be Jesus's hands and feet. Did he leave the hard jobs for anyone else, or did he jump right in with both feet and speak up?

I am visiting my sister in Abilene and just enjoying the ability I finally have to bless her in an amazing way. I love her so much, but more than that, every once in a while, the planets align, and I am able to just come up and act like a kid in a candy store... what do you need? lets get it. What are your heart's desire? Done. I remember times when things were so tight for me and my little family, and she would write a check to me for the money to make the groceries, or whatever we needed at that time. She was my blessing, she made me see the love of Jesus at a time when I was just learning about Him, for real, at work in a personal way in my life. This woman is amazing, preparing for graduation, with a 4.0 mind you, with 2 kids tagging along. For anyone who doesn't think this is a huge undertaking, consider the sacrifice that goes into something like that. Constantly giving, constantly running, never having a minute to yourself, to do what you want to do, to breathe peacefully. With all the things that come with kids in 2 parent households, there is a break, someone else to keep the fire for a minute while you relax in the tub, or take a nap while the other runs to the store, but when you are on your own, it is a very different situation.

She has bloomed. She has blessed, even when where she has been planted has no heat for a couple of days when it drops to 32 outside. When there is no gas money and the cross necklace has to be tearfully sold.

She is reaching for the Son each day, blooming and helping each other bloom. Praise the Lord for her. Praise the Lord for provision in my life so that I can be a conduit. It is amazing.

Blessed to be a blessing,

Allison

Approval Junkie? Addiction anyone?

I know..I know... I just blogged about going to bed. However, I was playing with the lay out as I am waiting for my clothes to get out of the dryer, and I like the new layout that I have picked... tell me what you think... ANYWAY...
I was looking at the way older posts are more accessible now, and it doesn 't just show one day at a time, and I was thinking that I like it and I was wishing I was more... more ________.
More interesting, more spiritual, more healthy, more thin, more inspirational, more... you name it.... It's not about me!! And I get frustrated when my mind goes to default and I try to find ways to make myself better. So more people will like me, more people will read my blog, more people will be inspired to do great things to glorify God, all of that... but I want to stop focusing on me. I want to be a bill board. I want Him to be the focus. Him Him Him...
Again,
I love you all out there in the grand scheme of things world. Thank the Lord for something that awed and amazed you today. Give it up for Him. He is sooo wayyyy coooollll.
oxoxoxoxoxoxoxo.

I took a nap...

Our suburban is paid off, praise the Lord, but it does entail having work done on it from time to time, so... it is now in the shop, just for some minor work. However, it does give me the amazing opportunity to deliver my precious husband to work at 615 am so that I can deliver my own self to school on time. Our day starts at 740 am, so it makes for an early day! After the 3 day weekend, for some reason, I felt like I'd been hit by a truck this morning, so I had to come home and take a nap. Contacts still in my eyes, Liam made me a great cheddar cheese quesadilla and I couldn't stay awake any longer. I crawled up on the couch, Sarah snuggled up with me, and I just.... took a nap. It was wonderful! But, here I am up at almost 11 pm and chances are good that I am going to be sleepy again in the morning, so I am going to do an laundry rotation (washer to dryer, dryer to couch, couch to closet...) and then shower and hit the sack.

Just wanted to send you guys some love. We should all take random naps, slow down, and enjoy the blessing of this amazing world.

Good night!

~Crazy Love~

So, this is not a paid endorsement. I just found this picture on the Crazy Love website and wanted to put it on my blog. I know that Pastor Francis Chan has no idea who I am, but he is helping me to know more about my God, which is enormously amazing.

I bought this from amazon last night and put it on my Kindle app for my phone. I am so pumped about this that I can hardly stand it. I just want to share that nobody put me up to posting it or talking about it, or anything. My mama can testify... if I don't want to do something, it takes a lot to make me do it. So, there you go...

Anyway, back to the book... I'd seen it in Lifeway a couple of months back, and it popped up on my amazon's list of what they think I'd like. I read the intro for free and decided that it really was speaking to me, so alongside of my bible in 90 day plan, I am trying to get closer to God through this book too. Right from the get go it has changed how I see my amazing, awesome, monumental, huge, bigger than I have words for, Jesus. I want to be changed. I want to be more authentic. I want to dig in my heels and be known as a Christian, because other people categorize me as that, not because I claim to be one. I want to be so controversial because Jesus was controversial. I don't want to be seeker sensitive. I know that people hated Jesus. He rubbed the pharisees the wrong way. I want to be just as irritating, but just as much full of love. I want to be in love with Him. I want to be committed to Him. I want to be pumped and excited about Him and what He is doing. I want to be ignited. Crazy. Embarassing. I want to be like David, dancing for Him. I want to be more foolish than this.

I think this book can help me do that. Being in the presence of my Daddy... priceless. I want to remember how enormous He is. How perfect He is. How everything in my life pales and withers in comparison to His cosmic power in my life.

Last night, Tracey and I let Seth and Liam drive for about 30 minutes in the local community college parking lot. They did fabulously well. They are so amazing. It was pretty groovy watching my last 2 babies drive around the parking lot, with Tracey in the front giving great instructions. He has so much more patience than me. It was a little disconcerting too, since they are still pretty young, but on their way to being not so young anymore. Seth, 12 this year, and Liam a staggering 15 this year, are incredible little human beings. Jayde, reaching for the stars in all of her 19 years, toward the Art Institute, Spencer, killer handsome senior in high school, looking towards the Air Force in May, Ashley, majestic and reserved, also looking towards her future as a junior.... they are all incredible humans in their own rights. They are also testimonies, even though they don't fully recognize this, that God is a big God. He can handle anything. He blended our family in a way that we never thought possible. His mighty hand has truly carried us in times we were not walking, but drowning. Now, they are all focused on the future, looking towards God's plan for their lives, not staring at each other in frustration. We are all moving as one toward the common goal. The Lord has shown himself sooooo faithful. It is amazing. He is amazing. I stand in true awe.

I love you guys. Be amazed. Look toward the stars and be amazed. You are perfectly and wonderfully made.

Amen.

{{{ Yawn }}}

Ok, my blogger friends, I am sooo tired. I have a lot to do, too! I wish I could be tired on the days that I don't have that much to do. I am working on my Master's in Counseling. I am a 6th grade Math teacher. I have a large beautiful family that I wish I could just take care of all the time, but unfortunately.... I have so much stuff to do. I have resolved to grade papers every day instead of waiting until the end. I have resolved this before however... Somehow my procrastination always seem to get the best of me.

So, I have made a cup of coffee, sat down in front of the computer to do my homework, a paper, I might add about validity and reliability in psychological testing, but I am here with you fine people. If you read anything that I have on my blog, would you just send me a message? I would love to read your comments, chat with you, and just hear about what is going on in your world.

I can see that people from Russia have even checked it out! Just tell me what is happening in your neck of the world. It would be most enjoyable.

Love to all, please reach around, big reach, and give yourself a huge hug from me.

Hugs and Kisses (and yawns, gonna lay my head down... just for 5 minutes!!!))

Allison

Pray without ceasing...

1 Thessalonians 5:5-18:
Ye are all the children of light and the children of the day; we are not of the night, nor of the darkness.Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep, sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breast plate of faith and love; and for a helmet, the hope of salvation. For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain Salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ. Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do. and we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labor among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; and to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. And be at peace among yourselves. Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feeble minded, support the weak, be patient toward all men, see that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men. Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

I know that is a long scripture, but oh so important for us to remember. We have got to be at our Father's work, people! Quit running to the things of the world that prove a distraction to the things we are going through. I say this to myself, loudly. Pray! Pray! Pray!

Yesterday I was in my car and I turned off the radio. I wanted deliberate uninterrupted time with the Lord. I cried out to Him, expressing my heart's desire to be in a job where He was the focus all the time. He was the topic of discussion. What He is doing, What He wants to happen, etc.

Overwhelmingly, I knew my answer. Even though I didn't want to! I heard it in my spirit! IT SHOULD BE NOW. REGARDLESS OF WHERE I AM! HE SHOULD BE THE FOCUS. HE SHOULD BE THE TOPIC. TO KNOW HIM AND MAKE HIM KNOWN!!!
I hide behind being nice, respectful, upbeat, and sweet. I try to give the Lord the glory for everything. But do I? I am crying, praying for the city while driving in my car, and then somebody drives crazy and dangerously and I say, watch out, you idiot! Is that very Christlike? Not so much!

The more I pray, the more I am in the presence of the spirit, the more fruit I will have. I want to be a tree laden and heavy with the fruit of the Spirit, not the fruit of the world, or the fruit of the Allison. That fruit is rotten, moldy, and utterly disgusting.
Pray... Pray... Pray...

Lord, I praise You for this day. I praise You for another day to have the grace You give to worship You. For anyone who is stopping by today, I pray that where there is pain, You would heal up their hearts. Where there is loneliness, you would provide Jesus with skin on friends and family to love on that person. Where there is anger, frustration, hopelessness, You would shine a Holy light, to dissipate that darkness. Lord, nothing is impossible with You. Help us to all remember this. I thank You for Your mighty hand that is at work 24-7. Thank You Lord that Your ways are above all of our ways. My way of thinking is so narrow. I pray that Your Holy Spirit fire and water would rush over me, burn away the extra, and smooth out the stone. I love You Jesus. I have nothing if I don't have You.
In Jesus Name,
Amen.

Beware! Danger right around the corner..

The devil knows exactly where we are, and what can derail us at any given moment. We have to be prepared. Case in point: this morning, out of nowhere, the devil started working on me. Within a couple of minutes the thoughts swimming through my head were consumed with worry and self condemnation. It took more than a couple of hours for me to get out from underneath it. I hated it. I knew it was an attack from the enemy, but my mind kept saying, what if it's right? What if those things really might happen and you really are a horrible person? So, even though I was trying to "think" myself better and give myself the truth, my head kept me from it.

We have got to be careful. It is not enough to know the enemy is there, we have got to be prepared. Those who fail to prepare are preparing to fail, right? That should be one of my mantras, because preparation is a shortcoming of mine. Sure, I can think a thing to death, but actually get up and do something about it? God is still working on me, thank you Jesus!

That being said, what do we do when we come under attack? We have to remember that it is the devil's goal to slip us up at every turn, so we have to have our defenses up and ready for anything he might try to throw at us. Worship is where I come into the presence of God best. When I worship, my whole heart and soul is pointed toward the Heavens and the Heavenly. So, for me a great weapon would be a worship song. My prayer language. I could bust out with my prayer language when I feel under attack. Pray the scriptures. God's word is a mighty sword, able to separate bone from the marrow, right? It is sharp and very specific. I weakly tried to remind myself that I was a child of the King this morning. Yes, that is very true, but if that is the only thing I can come up with, that is charging hell with a water pistol. That defense tells the devil who I am, a very weak and fragile princess on my very best day. But my Father....Is 9:6,

He is mighty to save, He is faithful to hold on to me, He is truth and life, He is a mighty warrior on my behalf, in fact He has already beaten the tar out of the devil! Remind your demons how big YOUR God is. That is where the power is. And remember, there is a snare around every corner, but we are not ignorant of the enemy's devices. In Jesus name, we are more than conquerors (Romans 8:37)!!

Patience, my dear...

Wow... another post, and so close together! I just may fall out!
Well, I set the rest of my schedule to complete my Master's degree in Professional Counseling. May 2012 I will graduate. I am somewhat jealous of my 2 beautiful sisters who get to graduate this May, but their long hours of toiling over books, papers, and higher levels of thinking must pay off, and for goodness sakes, come to an end! They have earned it. I stop right now and give thanks to our God for allowing women to be able to seek educations here in our country. It is not a perfect country, but we could have been born at a different time or in a different place where such luxuries were not afforded to working class women. Thank you, Jesus, and Amen.
I am communicating my resignation to the administration at my school. I have given myself a rough estimate of 24 weeks left and I will be done. I will suck the marrow from each day with these beautiful darlings that I am teaching until that time.
I still look toward the horizon and realize that I will be able to walk in the purpose of my Father through my degree very soon, and until that day has arrived, I will be walking in the purpose of my Father every day, try every minute, and look to my siblings to keep me on my path. Much love to my ladies! Mary and Vonda, you know who you are! (Everybody does now!!)
(((((muah)))))

Back to life...back to reality..

I remember that song from the late 80's. I don't know who sang it, strangely enough, but I did like to dance to it. Today was our first day back at school after a 2 week hiatus for Christmas and New Years. It was a difficult morning to wake up and get going, but I was glad to be back in the swing of things. Honestly, I am glad to be on my way... out. God has called me to be a counselor, and I will not be teaching again next year. That has been really hard. I had to actually walk through the scripture that says, when all else is done, stand. I was standing. Standing on the promise that if He wanted me to put my master's degree on hold because I'd misheard, or only started my master's degree out of my own selfish design instead of His leading, then I was willing to teach next year, or put my degree on hold. Anyway anyway, I digress. This past weekend, I was so blessed to go to a wedding of a wonderful woman that I was blessed to be able to know through a woman's bible study. While there, I had the privilege of meeting some fabulous Christian people that were involved in outreach. I mentioned my degree plan and my desire to serve the Lord wherever He'd have me. I was so encouraged by the people I'd met, and for the first time, I really felt God confirming that I was on the right track, and He was going to use me to love on His people that our culture sometimes considers "unloveable". I want to be a puppet on His string. I want to focus my energy into "being at my Father's business". What are your goals? What would you like to change? Are those your goals, or His? Share with me! I want to hear it!

Have a blessed day. In Jesus's powerful name...

Wow...Another Year... Same old haunts...

Here we are again, a new year. I have heard so much about a New Year's resolution. As much as my mind is turning over a few things I would like to do differently, when I look back at my poor representation of a regular blog, I see that the things that I am thinking, I have thought before. I know we would like to think that we are full of new ideas and new inventive ways of handling things, but are we really? What am I thinking about? Another year of "reinventing" myself. I am so tired of doing that. I am tired of trying to find an "easy way" to shed some extra baggage, whether in my clothes or my closet! I am tired of trying to figure out who I am and what I am supposed to be doing. One thing. Focus on the one thing. That is what I am going to do. My energy in trying to find a new diet? Going back to my one thing. Trying to determine if my household is striving for holiness the way my Jesus would like? Going back to my one thing.
My one thing? My Father. The Holy Spirit. My Lord.
I need more time in His presence. Seek FIRST the Kingdom. That is what I am going to do. Seek first HIS kingdom. Everything else will be in place as He changes us to His image. One New Year's Resolution for me... More of HIM and much less of me.
Just a thought. There is a song by Addison Road, which I am saving my pennies for, called "What Do I Know of Holy?". Tears flow when I hear this song. This song combined with "Beautiful, Beautiful" by Francesca Battistelli really makes me think of things that have gone on in my life. When I was at my worst, living in a car, staying with friends, refusing to submit to God, how did He see in me something that was worth saving? How did He know that I would one day want to spend every second with Him? If it were possible to saturate myself in Him daily, I would. So, again. My one thing. I am going to make Him my one thing. I feel certain at that time, the tv shows he wants me to cut out, will be cut. The insecurities that make me run to the extra calories, will fade in to the background, and the emotions that are not fruitful, they will be pruned away.... I pray this for all of you. That you will be blessed beyond your imagination, that you will know that your Father is within a whisper's call of wherever you are. I pray you would feel your small hand is His large and powerful hand. I pray that you would feel that He loves you unconditionally. If you didn't know what it was like as a child to have a big, strong, and handsome Daddy in your corner, you do now. He is here, my beloved. Your one thing.
Happy New Year!